| 摘要 |
<p>A method of cooling a unit of a cascade thermopile is based on the transfer of heat from the unit and from cascade to cascade, an adjustable direct current being applied to the terminals of the pile until it is in the stable operating mode corresponding to the desired temperature of the cooled unit. According to the invention, the heat from the unit is transferred in successive packets from cascade to cascade, interim storage of heat being effected in heat accumulators. To this end each cascade is operated in modes of active dissipation of heat from the heat source, the duration of the time intervals involved and the strength of the current passing through the cascades of the thermopile for these operating modes being regulated through the process of bringing the thermopile to its stable operating mode with the cooled unit and heat accumulators at the desired temperature while minimizing the electrical power consumption. According to the invention, the same number of thermal elements are used in all the cascades, thereby reducing the amount of scarce and costly semiconducting thermoelectric materials used and the unit cost of the thermopile.</p> |
